Shloka 213

Go-mahātmyam: Pavitrāṇāṃ Pavitraṃ

Cows and Ghee as Supreme Purifiers

Devanagari script

नानावर्णत्वमनयन्मेघानिव दिवाकर: । प्रजानाथ! रुद्रका वह भयंकर तेज जिन-जिन कपिलाओंपर पड़ा

Transliteration

nānāvarṇatvam anayan meghān iva divākaraḥ | prajānātha! rudrakā vaha bhayaṅkara teja jin-jin kapilāoṃpar paṛā, unke raṅga nānā prakārake ho gaye | jaise sūrya bādalokoṃ apnī kiraṇoṃse bahuraṅgā banā dete haiṃ, usī prakāra us tejne un sabko nānā varṇavālī kara diyā |

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ప్రజానాథా! రుద్రసంభవమైన ఆ భయంకర తేజస్సు ఏ ఏ కపిల గోవులపై పడినదో, అవి అవి నానావర్ణములు ధరించెను. సూర్యుడు తన కిరణములతో మేఘములను బహురంగులుగా చూపునట్లు, అట్లే ఆ తేజస్సు వాటన్నిటినీ నానావర్ణములుగా చేసెను।

Word by Word

• नाना: various, manifold
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना

• वर्णत्वम्: variegatedness; diversity of color
• वर्णत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्णत्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनयत्: led/brought/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मेघान्: clouds
• मेघान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• दिवाकरः: the sun (day-maker)
• दिवाकरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Divākara (Sun)
• Megha (clouds)
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Tejas (fearsome radiance/energy)
• Kapilāḥ (tawny ones)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how overwhelming divine/ascetic energy (tejas) can transform appearances and conditions, using a natural simile (sun colouring clouds) to convey the irresistible, world-shaping force of higher power—an ethical reminder that rulers and beings alike are subject to forces beyond ordinary control.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a fearsome radiance associated with Rudra that falls upon the ‘kapilā’ beings and makes their colours change into many hues, likening the effect to sunlight making clouds look multicoloured.